Christmas Ponderings
by windofmysoul
Summary: Hello, again and Merry Christmas God bless you all during this holiday season. This is just a light short holiday story.


**Hello, again and Merry Christmas God bless you all during this holiday season.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT characters. **

**Summary: This is just a light short holiday story. **

**Christmas Ponderings **

Leo sat on the edge of the rooftop watching flakes of lace drift down onto the peaceful snow-covered city below. Leo sighed as he closed his eyes as he breathed in the smell of the crisp air. He loved this time of year, the smells, the music, the weather, the overall feeling of joy and giving, love and respect and overall good will. Rubbing his hands together as he tried to warm them with his breath the ninja decided it was time to return home. The lair was decorated with lights, streamers, bulbs and tinsel. It almost looked magical the lights making the tinsel look like icicles. Leo chuckled to himself, for some crazy reason he had let Mikey in charge of the tisel. Raph yelled that the place looked like an elf threw up. Mikey had put tinsel on everything. And I mean EVERYTHING. According to Mikey anything stationary was fair game, Leo stayed up late to _tidy _up after he got Raph to calm down. He left most of Mikey's tinsel alone not wanting to upset his little brother who was very proud of his decorating skills and had no idea how he had overdecorated to the point that Leo saw it as a hazard. When the three brothers woke up the next morning the liar seemed to sing, the decorations put a christmas feeling into their air and just seemed to make the place brighter, lighter. Leo had been proud of his work, he had stayed up all night. He left his brothers work alone the best he could, he was proud of what they did and didn't want to mess with it, but for peace sake he needed to organize. Pluss he was slightly ocd, according to his brothers, and couldn't stand the disorder. Donnie had thanked him later, angered that his whole lab had been 'bedazzled' Raph although he stayed quiet aside also seemed relieved that it wasn't practically raining tinsel anymore and Mikey had just mumbled about remembering the lair being 'shinier' before he went to bed. Luckily no one said a word, contented on how it turned out. April and Casy brought over some Christmas music, and Donnie made eggnog. Leo smiled as he imagined what his brothers were doing right now. He could already imagine Donnie anxiously waiting near the door as he finished up his holiday tinkering, at the kitchen table instead of locked away in his lab. Mikey driving him crazy as he asked numerous questions about what Donnie was doing, and why and how. Leo chuckled as he imagined Donnie's face slowly turning as purple as his mask as he fought off his anger as Mikey badgered him with questions as he worked to fix the last gadget. Leo had to laugh, it was probably the toaster as Leo broke it this morning. HIs brothers still couldn't explain how the toaster always seemed to just spontaneously break whenever he even glanced its way. What can he say it was a gift. Leo shook his head. Donnie and Mikey would be at the table, Donnie drinking a more holiday festive drink, Mikey had been adding a holiday touch to all their food as of late. Thanks to April and Casey, things that were unattainable for years were now attainable. It was one of the many ways the two teens had been a blessing in their lives, to Leo and his brothers April and Casey were like family and it was hard to imagine their lives without them. Last year, April and Casey had introduced new holiday traditions to the family. For years they lived only off what they could scavenge for but since their two human friends came into their lives, they have been introduced to many wondrous new things. And mikey was taking full advantage of new opportunities, adding cinnamon and nutmeg to donnie's coffee was just one example. Leo smiled and dusted off the thin layer of snow coating his green skin as he stood to rise. He smiled at the christmas star as he stood. He welcomed new traditions, but some would for ever remain dear in his heart. For him Christamas wouldn't be the same without seeing that star, it was a symbol of what the holiday was truly about. Christmas is about totally pure, unconditional, irrepressible, inconceivably awesome self-denying true love. Christmas was about sacrifice. Christmas was about, hope, faith and promise. It was about all these things and more. Leo felt his heart swell. Closing his eyes he tilted his head back letting the snow kiss his face the ever present noise of the city drifting into the background as he just focused on the snow, letting his stress and fear drift away. As a mutant ninja turtle and the leader of his younger brothers, Leo was no stranger to fear. And often it becomes too overwhelming burden to bear. With trials often arising one after another, with no break in between. Life often felt like an ocean, the waves fear and doubt pushing him under every time he came up for breath. Doing the right thing was not always easy, and the life they led was one fraught with peril. Leadership was his burden alone to bere, and therefore he often faced the battery of stress and strain alone. He had made many mistakes as leader, and had learned and grown much since. But the most important lesson this position had taught him, was that faith was stronger than fear. He had seen close hand the power faith held. It was faith that had brought him out of his three month coma. He knew that if it hadn't been for his brothers he would have died. Leo had no doubt that it was his brothers, love and prayers that pulled him through. Even after everything they went through during the invasion and how dire the circumstances were they refused to give up on him nor their faith that he would pull through. Leo opened his eyes to watch the dance as the snow made its trek across the sky. No, he would never take the power faith and love had for granted. He had spent this holiday with his family and had gathered gifts for everyone he cared for, hoping that what he lovingly made or found was something that would bring them joy. But for him he needed no gift, besides that of friendship and family. To him the holiday was special not because of the music, movies sweets, gifts, although he cherished these things as well. But for him Christmas was about Love. And there was no greater gift that could be given, than the greatest sacrifice that brought about eternal life for all those who believe. Leo raised his eyes to the heavens hands over his heart as his sapphire eyes searched the sky for the star of David. Leo smiled sending up a prayer of thanks before making his way home to be with his family, because after all Christmas was about love.

"**And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." (Luke 2:8-14)**


End file.
